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Section 3: RICA Written Examination Test Structure

The RICA Written Examination consists of three separate subtests, each composed of both multiple-choice and constructed-response questions. Each subtest is scored separately.

Test Overview

Table outlining the test format, number of questions, time, and format.
Test Name RICA Written Examination
Test Code
  • Subtest 1 (test code RC003)
  • Subtest 2 (test code RC004)
  • Subtest 3 (test code RC005)
Time
  • Subtest 1: 1 hour and 15 minutes
  • Subtest 2: 1 hour and 15 minutes
  • Subtest 3: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Number of Questions
  • Subtest 1: 35 multiple-choice questions and 2 constructed-response questions
  • Subtest 2: 35 multiple-choice questions and 2 constructed-response questions
  • Subtest 3: 25 multiple-choice questions and 1 case study
Format Computer-based test and online-proctored test

Test Structure

The structure of the examination is shown in the tables below.

Subtest 1

Table outlining test content for subtest 1, subject weighting by domain and number and type of questions.
Domain Number of Competencies Approximate Number of Multiple-Choice Questions Number and Type of Constructed-Response Questions
Word Analysis (Domain 2) 5 27 1 (Focused Task, 150- to 300-word response)
Fluency (Domain 3) 2 8 1 (Focused Task, 75- to 125-word response)
Total 7 35 2

Subtest 2

Table outlining test content for subtest 2, subject weighting by domain and number and type of questions.
Domain Number of Competencies Approximate Number of Multiple-Choice Questions Number and Type of Constructed-Response Questions
Vocabulary, Academic Language, and Background Knowledge (Domain 4) 2 19 1 (Focused Task, 75- to 125-word response)
Comprehension (Domain 5) 4 16 1 (Focused Task, 150- to 300-word response)
Total 6 35 2

Subtest 3

Table outlining test content for subtest 3, subject weighting by domain and number and type of questions.
Domain Number of Competencies Approximate Number of Multiple-Choice Questions Number and Type of Constructed-Response Questions
Planning, Organizing, and Managing Reading Instruction Based on Ongoing Assessment (Domain 1) 2 25 1 (Case Study, 300- to 600-word response assessing all domains)
Total 2 25 1
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